Charles clarence carpenter



, to the weight or bulk of the structure.

H NiTE --ATENT Erica BUSTLEI'I SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 334,638, dated January 19, 1886.

Application filed September 18, 1885. Serial No. 177,421. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. CARPEN- TER, a citizen of theUnitedStates, residing at New York city, in the county of New York andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBustles; and I do declare. the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being badto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to bnstles; and the novelty consists in theconstruction, arrangement, and adaptation of parts, as will be morefully hereinafter set forth, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

Bustles formed with horizontal stuffed pockets are well known, and ithas been a fault with such that they break down in the rear centralline, owing, possibly, to the weight of the drapery. Among otherfeatures which in such bustles have impaired their durability is thefact that the unsupported .edges have, by wear, doubled the materialupon itself until the greater portion would ride up out of proper place,thus defeating the purpose for which the article was designed, and inany event losing the graceful contour desired. I seek to obviate theseand other difficulties.

I arrange the filled tubes or pockets with their centers upon a higherplane than their ends, thus arching the said pockets and increasingtheir resisting-power without adding I bind the ends of the pocketsforcibly together upon either side, whereby the expanding force of thematerial in the pockets, nearsuch ends, serves with a constant force tohold the back of the bustle down to the limit of the fabric. Iarrangeastrengthening-spring in the lacingplates adjacent to their junctionwith the ends of the pockets, which spring acts upon either side to keepthe edge of the bustle straight and prevents the doubling and consequentbreakmg.

The feature of arching the rolls or pockets to increase their capacityfor resistance will smaller scale, showing the manner of stitching 1 thefabric to arch the pockets.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the sheets of fabric, which, bycurved rows of stitching a, forms pockets b,which in the com pletedarticle are stuffed with any light springy material, as wool. The formthus given to the pockets throws them into an arched form in the bustle,as seen in Fig, 1, where the pockets are represented as filled, and thematerial is secured to a waistband, G, and side tapes or bindings, D.The ends of the pockets are forced closely together before the binding Dis secured in place, as seen at (1, whereby the expansion of the fillingmaterial just outside of binding serves to hold the ribs or pocketsapart to the extent of the fabric.

F designates the lacing-plates, and f the lacing-cord, by which the sizeand contour of the form may be adjusted at will. In each plate F,adjacent to its junction with the edge binding D, I arrange a stay, G,which maybe of ordinary twin wire secured in the fabric of the plate bya row of stitches or by eyelets 9. These springs serve efficiently tokeep the edges from doubling or working up, as well as to support theribs in their arched form.

' The completed rib, stuffed and arched, I designate by the letter B.

In details of construction modifications may be made within wide limitswithout departing from the principle or sacrificing the advantages of myinvention.

The stays G may be secured to the hindings D.

By the term arched, as applied to the ribs B, I imply that the centralportion of each rib is more or less above the horizontal plane of itsends, and that the ribs are at an angle with the waistband.

What I claim as newis- 1. A bustle having a series of ribs, B, of archedform, with the central portion of each rib at a higher plane than eitherof its ends, and means for securing the same in such position toincrease the capacity of the ribs to resist downward pressure ofdrapery, as set forth.

2. The combination, with the arched ribs, as described, consisting ofstuffed curved pockets supported bya fabric, A, of side bindings, D,arranged to hold the ends of the ribs forcibly together, and by theexpansibility of the filling to throw the central portions of the ribsdown to the limits of the fabric, as set forth.

3. The combination, with a body, as A, having arched ribs B, and withlacing-aprons

